Chuck vs Natalie Bartowski
by TeamBartowski
Summary: AU. Diverging off from Chuck vs The Beard. Chuck's mother returns and angst ensues. There will be Charah included-not sure how much as of yet. Sorry for the terrible summary.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello to everyone.**

**This is a new fic that popped into my (D-no) head and wouldn't let go, leaving me with this and a terribly huge headache.**

**To all who read our other fic, Chuck vs High School: We have not abandoned it, we just have a serious case of Writer's Block, plus it is increasingly hard to find the time to write since in three weeks we have our GCSE's.**

**I hope you enjoy this and please let us know if you want us to carry this on. The rough plan in my head has at LEAST one other chapter and i hope i will be able to share it with you.**

**D-no.**

**TeamBartowski.**

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Chuck re-filled his wine glass with Pinot Noir as he gazed through the window in the kitchen, into the living room. In the living room his friends and family sat chatting and laughing.

Ellie sat talking to Hannah and Sarah, by looking at her erratic hand gestures; she seemed to be trying to convince them of doing something together. A girls night out probably. It was a good idea, especially for Sarah, who desperately needed a break from the spy world.

Devon enthralled his audience, consisting of Casey and Morgan, with tales of white water rafting and free climbing. Chuck held in a laugh as he watched Casey listening to Awesome with a smug smirk on his face. Casey had done more things thrilling than white water rafting, things that could not be shared with anyone, on pain of death.

Shaw, who, to Chuck's chagrin, had a hand wrapped around Sarah's waist, wasn't part of either conversation, choosing to watch the group interacting with each other. Chuck watched the ease with which Sarah interacted with his family; it was as if she was part of the family. The thought was like a dull blow to his gut. How he wished she could be part of the family. But Chuck knew that sometime, sometime _soon_, she would be out of his life. For Good. With Shaw. Chuck winced at the thought.

Composing himself so that no one would see the underlying pain he was feeling, Chuck walked out of the kitchen and joined the people he cared about most, a forced smile plastered on his face. Not that anyone would notice how insincere his smile was. He had gotten good at this sort of thing. The lying part of being a spy. It wasn't something he liked to admit but it was a fact.

Ironic, wasn't it? He'd done all this for his family and friends, to protect them, but because of it he was pushing them away, lying to them. He'd done this, most of all, for Sarah. To become her "type". To be able to have a relationship with her-no secrets, no lies. But it had blown up in his face-as usual. Now that he had become the hero she told him he could be, she had turned away from him. Chuck sat on the lone sofa; in the midst of those he cared about he couldn't help but a feel alone.

Ignoring the pain that was coursing through his heart, the pain that would never dull, Chuck turned towards Awesome, Morgan and Casey, listening in to a humorous tale of Awesome's Frat buddies, doing something incredibly stupid, something incredibly awesome.

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Sarah was only half listening to the current conversation with Ellie and Hannah. They were discussing a woman's day out at the spa. Sarah knew that, with her current vocation, the chances of her being able to go were close to nil. But that didn't stop her from wanting to go. She hadn't felt so tense since… since ever.

Things between her and Chuck were tense since the whole "real name" debacle and she would go so far to say that he had been avoiding her for the past few days. He had barely looked her in the eye anymore. He'd asked Casey, _Casey_, to take over his training. She didn't really know why she told Shaw her real name. Actually that's a lie. She did know. She had watched Chuck as he slowly turned into a spy and turned away from being… Chuck. When he had impersonated Rafe, it gave her a glimpse of what would happen to Chuck if he continued on his quest to be a spy. What would happen to _her_ Chuck. She knew telling Shaw her real name would hurt him, but to go so far as to avoid her? There must be something else. Maybe it was Shaw. Ever since he had come, the whole team dynamic that had taken _two_ years to perfect had been destroyed in one night.

Sarah looked over to Shaw, who was sitting beside her. Shaw looked over to her and smiled as his eyes met hers. She could see his want, his lust for her in his eyes and gave a small smile back, repressing a need to shudder at his gaze.

Sarah turned back to Ellie and Hannah. She looked at the arm that was wound around her, casually, possessively and couldn't help but wish that someone else's arm was wrapped around her, that someone else's warm body was right next to her. Sarah smiled as memories of many nights spent in Casa Bartowski, cuddling on the sofa with Chuck.

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Chuck's heart reverberated with pain as he looked over at Sarah, smiling serenely at Shaw's arm around her waist. Chuck felt his smile falter slightly before it returned. Unluckily Devon had noticed.

"Dude, are you okay? For a minute there you looked not-so awesome." Devon questioned as he studied Chuck intently for any sign of dizziness. Chuck's hope of it all going unnoticed crumbled as Devon's loud voice cause everyone's attention to turn to look at Chuck worryingly.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a little dizzy for a second." Chuck stood up quickly, having a sudden urge to get away from all the concerned looks pointed in his direction. He needed to get rid of the image of Sarah's content smile as she sat next Shaw. For the millionth time in the past three years, Chuck cursed his great memory. This time for a very different reason.

"Where are you going?" Ellie asked as she stood her expression anxious as she looked to her watch then to the door.

Giving Ellie a perplexed look at her sudden edginess, he replied, "I'm just gonna go to the bathroom. Are you okay Ellie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…could you wait five seconds, a guest is coming and I think you'd like to meet her."

"And I will, I just really need to go to the toilet. We wouldn't want a repeat of the whole '84 incidence to ruin a good night." Chuck said with a small chuckle.

Ellie smiled as she remembered the "incident" Chuck was referring to.

Chuck took Ellie's silence as her agreement and hurried to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

He slid down to the floor, back against the door, head buried in his arms.

He knew that he was to blame for his pain. He hadn't lost Sarah, he'd pushed her away, he'd hurt her and so he felt he deserved the current pain he was feeling. He couldn't expect someone as beautiful and talented as she was not to find some else. Shaw was perfect for her, her "type". He had everything, the looks, the money, the ability to kick the ass of everyone in the room. And the status of an Agent.

Chuck had broken up with Hannah because he still loved Sarah- he'd never stopped. He just couldn't drag along a relationship that was destined to fail from the moment it was conceived. It was unfair to him and it was unfair to Hannah. But now she was with Shaw. Why would she leave Shaw for him? It was impossible. As much as Chuck wanted to be with Sarah, he couldn't make her- as if he could make Sarah Walker do anything- leave Shaw. She was happy with him, she deserved to be happy. Of that Chuck was certain. And if it wasn't with him then he would have to live with it, knowing that he was the only one to blame. And know there wasn't a damn thing he could about it.

Chuck heard the muffled sound of a knock on the front door of the apartment. There was a muted conversation for a minute or two, then nothing. It was as if they were waiting for something. Chuck suddenly realized that it was him they were waiting for. Contemplating the idea of staying in his refuge Chuck rose from his fetal position and made his way over to the sink. After splashing water onto his face Chuck unlocked the bathroom door and made his way to the living room.

AS he made his way to the living room he saw a woman with her back to him, talking with his father. He didn't know why but he felt as if he should know her.

As the sound of his entrance the woman turned, a blinding smile bursting on her face.

Chuck's eyes flashed wide in recognition as shock flitted through his body.

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**I hope you enjoyed this. Please review. Constructive critiscm and compliments are always welcome -especially the compliments.**

**D-no**

**TeamBartowski.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi to all the awesome readers,**

**First, I would just like to thank you for all the great reviews and to say that i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Second, our exams are getting closer so i douobt we will be able to update anytime soon BUT after that we have an extra long holiday *dances with joy* so we will try to make up for the lack in updates, and i hope you will not kill us for the brief hiatus. *hides behind desk***

**To NickyR: It will not be as dragged out as it is in the show, but hey, even in the show it's at an end. You gotta love Chuck vs The American Hero.**

**Disclaimer: Me or Eirca do not own Chuck, unless Erica works for NBC and secretly owns a part of Chuck.**

**Hope you guys enjoy.**

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Chuck stared in shock at the new arrival, his mouth hanging open.

Standing in the middle of Ellie's living room was someone he thought he'd never see again after her sudden absence in his life eighteen years ago.

XXX

"_I'm sorry Stephen. I can't stay, I just can't. You know what will happen if I stay." Natalie spoke to her husband in hushed tones, not realising that a ten-year-old Chuck was sitting at the top of the stairs and could hear every word perfectly. "I just…I just can't do this anymore. It'll be so much easier if I left. For everyone."_

"_You think that I want our lives to be easy? I would go through hell if it meant that we could be a family. After everything we've been through, _everything_, you're just going to give, leave us for the sake of an easier life?" Stephen Bartowski retorted, the pain in his voice could not be masked as his hushed tones slowly rose._

"_Stephen be quiet, we can't have the kids wake up. And don't you dare accuse me of giving up! I'm just doing what's right… for everyone. You know I'm not just leaving for the sake of an easy life. I thought you'd understand." The arguing couple moved into the kitchen, the door swinging shut quietly behind them._

_Chuck couldn't hear everything they'd said, only tid bits made their way to his small ears, and what he did hear made his worry turn into pain._

"_I can't… with Chuck… everything's changed…hurts too much…with…him…"_

_Tears began to make their way down the ten year olds distraught face at her words. Not wanting to hear any more, Chuck rose from his hidden spot and made his way quietly to his room, wrapping himself up in his comforter, hiding from reality. Tears continued to make their way down his face long after he fell into a fitful sleep._

_The next morning, sure enough, their mother was no longer with them. Their father sat them down and explained that she had left for a little while but had promised to be back._

_Chuck felt a pang in his chest as he looked at his older sister holding onto her father for dear life, tears streaming down her face as her father consoled her. It was his fault his mother left. It was his fault that his father no longer had a wife. It was his fault that his sister no longer had a mother. It was his fault that the people he cared about most in the world were in pain. Chuck could taste salt as tears cascaded down his face._

XXX

The others in the room watched Chuck and his mother carefully, waiting for his response. Ellie had a small smile on her face as she waited for the reunion of mother and son. Ellie had reconnected with her mother a few days ago and they had set up this meeting between Chuck and their mother.

Natalie Bartowski stood nervously, her hazelnut eyes gazing at her son hungrily. He had grown so much and she hated herself for having missed it, but she knew that if she hadn't then there would have been nothing to miss. As she waited for him to react she pushed her brown, greying hair behind her ear. Ellie had welcomed her back with open arms-sort of. It had taken a lot of explaining but Ellie quickly pushed past it. Natalie hoped that her son could do the same. She had a feeling that it would be harder for Chuck to forgive her. He always took things so hard and personally. But, she supposed, that was what made him different, special.

A small smile appeared on Chuck's face as happy memories floated through his mind. Smiles grew on their audience's face.

Sarah's eyes flicked back and fore between the youngest Bartowski and the eldest. Her blues eyes glittered with happiness as she took in the scene. This was what Chuck had always wanted, his whole family reunited. She looked around and was not surprised to find the rest of the room staring between Chuck and Mrs. Bartowski in anticipation, small smiles gracing their faces.

Suddenly, Chuck's smile vanished and a grimace took its place, pain shining from his eyes.

Everyone stared in confusion at the sudden transformation. Ellie looked to her father for some explanation but he just shook his head, indicating that he too was baffled. They could only watch in silence as Chuck shook his head back and fore, brow furrowed in pain.

Chuck spoke quietly but that only amplified his anger that resonated in his voice, "What are you doing here?"

Chuck looked straight at his mother, not hiding his anger at her. Sarah's eyes widened at Chuck's anger. She had never seen Chuck so angry, not since they had proposed using Devon as bait to lure out The Ring.

"Chuck-" She started but Chuck cut her off.

"What do you want?" Chuck's voice got louder.

"Chuck I just wanted to see you. I wanted to apologise for everything and I hope that I could stay, for good." Natalie said apprehensively as she looked at her angry son.

Chuck's anger melted away into resignation.

"Why…" Chuck's voice cracked slightly and he drew in a shaky breath to compose himself before starting again, his voice barely a whisper. "Why weren't we enough for you?"

"Oh Chuck." Natalie reached out towards him to comfort him but Chuck moved away from her as if he had been burned, his hands raised as if in surrender.

"No." He said, his voice barely wavering. He looked back up at his mother, directly into her eyes, not bothering to stop the traitorous tears from flowing down his face. "You're eighteen years too late for that." His hands dropped from their raised position and, shoulders slumped in defeat, he strode right past her, ignoring the others in the room. He didn't bother with the keys for the Nerd Herder or his jacket as he walked out, door slamming behind them.

After Chuck's sudden exit, everyone sat silently, in shock. They had never seen Chuck so angry. Ellie knew that his mother's disappearance from their lives had hurt Chuck, but she thought he had accepted it and moved past it, just as he had accepted their father back.

Natalie's shoulders slumped, heartbroken, as Stephen Bartowski stood up and pulled her into a comforting embrace.

"Someone should go after him. I've never seen him this angry. God knows what he'll do." Ellie, said after a while, breaking the tense silence that had befallen the room and its inhabitants.

"I'll go." Sarah offered. She knew that she could find him quicker than the others; she could just follow the GPS signal from his watch.

After collecting her car keys, jacket and being thanked by Ellie, Sarah left her in search of Chuck. She had to find him first. She prayed he hadn't done something stupid, he usually wouldn't do something stupid, but then again, she had never seen him so hurt, so angry, and it broke her heart. Sarah stopped her mind from arriving at thoughts that would break her emotionless composure and pulled her task of finding Chuck to the forefront of her mind. After she found him she could try to fix him.

When she got into her car she checked Chuck's GPS on her iPhone. He was on the move, and he was moving pretty quickly considering he hadn't taken the Herder.

Sarah put her beloved Porsche into gear and set off towards Chuck, all the while silently praying that she find Chuck in one piece, at least physically, he was already broken on the inside.

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**I hope you enjoyed and please let us know what you think.**

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**TeamBartowski.**


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